Whilst you could get them some equipment – microphones or headphones – but you always run the risk of getting the wrong one. So my suggestion is to follow the lovely Icelandic tradition, and give them a podcast-related book. There are loads of books based on podcasts or by podcasters, and the best thing is – they are super simple to wrap too!

So if you’re after books based on podcasts, here are eleven of the best.

Sh**ged. Married. Annoyed.
by Chris & Rosie Ramsey

The husband and wife have been chatting about almost everything on their chart-topping podcast for nearly five years now, and they’ve committed their conversations to paper too. Sh**ged. Married. Annoyed by Chris & Rosie Ramsey goes through “the ups and downs and ins and outs of love, sex and relationships”. Author Daisy May Cooper said she “Laughed ’til I cried reading this. An absolute triumph!”. Find out more >>

The Rest Is History: The Official Book from the Makers of the Hit Podcast
By Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook

Released earlier this year, The Rest Is History is a great addition to the podcast from historians Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook. It gives you a whistle-stop tour through the past by answering questions such as ‘did the Trojan War actually happen?’ and ‘how did a hair appointment almost blow Churchill’s cover?’. This is also a great present for history fans! Find out more >>

Diary of a CEO
by Steven Barlett

Steven Barlett’s podcast is consistently one of the most popular podcasts in the UK, so when he released his companion book earlier this year it was big news. The Diary of a CEO: The 33 Laws of Business, Marketing and Life is partly based on interviews from his show, and promises to teach the reader principles ‘rooted in psychology and behavioral science’ that can apply to any industry. Find out more >>

What’s That Lady Doing?
by Lou Sanders

The host of Cuddle Club is a regular face on television and a regular voice on podcasts, but this step into literature is a new medium for her. And it’s worth saying that What’s That Lady Doing? shows a new side of Lou in an incredibly sincere memoir. As one review said “A memoir with this much rape and alcoholism in it has absolutely no business being so funny. But it is fucking hilarious.” Find out more >>

From Gay to Ze
By Lotte Jeffs and Stu Oakley

Lotte Jeffs and Stu Oakley broke new audio-ground with their first podcast, Some Families, which talked about the logistics of LGBTQ+ parenting. Their book The Queer Parent: Everything You Need to Know From Gay to Ze breaks literary ground as the first LGBTQ+ parenting book to ever be published by a major author. As the writers said to us earlier this year “Isn’t that insane?”. Find out more >>

It’s A Continent
by Chinny Ukata and Astrid Madimba

Chinny Ukata and Astrid Madimba educate and entertain listeners about the history of Africa with their podcast It’s A Continent. The book follows in its footsteps, appreciating the identity of each nation and exploring key historical moments that have shaped the continent, in an easily digestible, satirical (and shady) format. I was super excited to see the mention of Pod Bible in the bio at the start because we featured the podcast as a great women’s history podcast way back in 2021! Find out more >>

Adnan’s Story: The Search for Truth and Justice After Serial
By Rabia Chaudry

Serial is often credited with starting the first podcast boom – it has won every major award for broadcasting, including the first-ever Peabody awarded to a podcast. The epitome of the true crime genre, it is steeped in its own controversy. Rabia Chaudry’s book delves into the case on a much wider level, offers new content and evidence, and questions aspects that were only touched on – or not even reported – in the podcast. Find out more >>

How To Fail
By Elizabeth Day

Another hugely popular podcast, there are twelve whole seasons of How To Fail to catch up on. Elizabeth Day has spoken to hundreds of people about their failures and what it taught them. The book shines the light more on the author and is described as ‘part memoir, part manifesto’. This is a great one to give someone so they can start their new year on a positive – or learn to embrace the negative. Find out more >>

Welcome to Night Vale
by Joseph Fink & Jeffrey Cranor

Whilst the Welcome To Night Vale podcast is in the style of a radio show, the book is a more traditional narrative. There are three book tie-ins to the series, and in this first, nineteen-year-old pawn shop owner Jackie Fierro is determined to uncover the mystery of “King City”. Other books in the series are It Devours! and The Faceless Old Woman Who Secretly Lives In Your Home. Find out more >>

Women vs Hollywood: The Fall and Rise of Women in Film
By Helen O’Hara

Empire magazine’s ‘geek queen’, Helen O’Hara, explores women’s roles – both in front of and behind the camera – since the birth of Hollywood, how those roles are reflected within wider society and what we can do to level the playing field. The podcast and book were released as a joint venture and therefore feed into each other really well.  This book ticks the boxes for anyone who likes cinema, podcasts or books. Find out more >>

The Breakup Monologues: The Unexpected Joy of Heartbreak
By Rosie Wilby

One of our regular writers, Rosie has done the full circle from writing her book, to making her podcast, and back to writing books. The Breakup Monologues is the book that came out of her podcast of the same name, and Rosie explore the psychology of love and heartbreak by drawing on her own and others’ experiences. You can read more about the journey in our interview with her. Find out more >>

The post 11 GREAT book presents for podcasts lovers appeared first on POD BIBLE.

Who are you and what’s your podcast about?

I am Zack Robidas, host of The Pod Spotter. The Pod Spotter is a podcast about podcasts. Each week, we highlight and recommend a great, lesser-known pod. Shows outside the Top 300. Many, or most, are probably outside the Top 3,000. We want to put a spotlight on the shows that listeners might otherwise have never found. We talk to the hosts, play clips, that kind of thing. There’s a lot of great content out there and we want to help listeners find the shows that “deserve” to be found.

But as you dig deeper it’s really about the podcast creators and the “how’s” and “why’s” of creating the thing that gets them out of bed in the morning. We tend to focus on what hosts have learned from the journey of producing their podcast and what they’ve taken from the guests they’ve featured.

What was the first podcast you ever listened to?

I remember where I was standing when I listened to Planet Money‘s breakdown of the financial crisis in 2008. There was so much happening in the news and so many new terms out there that it was impossible to understand any of it … at least for a liberal arts major with a BA in Theatre, which is spelled “re” not “er,” so you know I’m serious. Phrases like “mortgage-backed securities” and “subprime mortgages” were not yet ubiquitous. It might not have been my first podcast but it was the first one that was important to me. I realized the power of the podcast. The uniquely important focusing of information through compelling storytelling and snappy editing. This American Life’s companion episode “Giant Pool of Money” felt equally significant. Like most people it all began with NPR then moved to RadioLab then to shows like Stuff you Should Know. I loved anything that taught me things without it feeling like I was learning.

Why did you decide to start podcasting in the first place?

The Pod Spotter was born out of a desire to pay homage to the medium I’ve loved and depended on for so many years. I was able to hook up with brothers, Jim and Dan Price who had this idea and were looking to team with someone who was passionate about podcasts. I do a lot of voiceover work and had worked with them for years in radio advertising and it all just felt like a natural fit.

Which podcasts do you take inspiration from?

Like most podcast listeners I am a creature of habit. I have my pod routine that changes over the years but at the moment consists of starting my day with The Daily to get up to speed on current events. Lunch will be something in the humanities either Code Switch, Making Sense or The Daily Show with Trevor Noah, if I just need a laugh. I work out to something that usually is counter to my personal politics like a Ben Shapiro just to help get me wound up. I like to fall asleep to nonsense sports talk from The Ringer to help my mind turn off but not till after Rachael Maddow tells me what to be upset about each day.

Who’s your dream guest for the podcast?

I’m genuinely excited to talk to any host who is enthusiastic about what they do. After roughly 30 episodes of these I’ve found it’s very clear within the first five minutes who is just a hired gun or “mouth-piece” for the pod they represent, and who lives it. I much prefer the people who live it and create out of a desire to build their own sandbox to play in. Pods born out of a burning desire or great passion are really all I’m interested in.

What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learnt so far as a podcaster?

I learn something every episode. I can go through from Episode 1 and give you one nugget from each. Brian Thompson of Whatever Happened to Pizza at McDonalds taught me the importance of doing what you love for yourself, not for any desired outcome. Make the show YOU love not the show you wish people would love. Kimi Culp of All the Wiser taught me “the way forward is through”, no matter what the conflict in your life might be. Mortified showed me that the artefacts of our childhood often shape the adults we are today. Musicals That Never Made It taught me the good ideas that keep you up at night need to be watered, fostered and loved. Two in The Think Tank taught me the power of not over-preparing, sometimes the best bits of magic are unscripted moments of pure spontaneity. I can go on. How much time ya got?

Which episode would you say is the perfect introduction to your podcast?

Start with either Episode 2 with Kimi Culp or Episode 6 with Connor Ratliff of Dead Eyes for a really good idea of what it is we are doing here at The Pod Spotter.

Where can the Pod Bible readers find out more about you?

I’m an actor in my civilian life, you can find out more about future projects and what I’m up to on IMDB or Instagram, @ZactoryRobotdance. Follow The Pod Spotter on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook @thepodspotter.

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The post The Pod Spotter // Putting the spotlight on podcast creators appeared first on POD BIBLE.